Fascination, sea, beauty, nature, history and magic: these are the key words for this wonderful experience! The new excursion of “Le crociere del sole”/Maregiglio.
The day begins amidst the reflections of the sea, heading south, with the Argentario promontory on one side and Giglio on the other, which seem to be watching our navigation as I look admiringly at their silhouette from the deck.
When we get to Cala Spalmatoio, on the eastern side of the island, it is enough to lean out and look at the seabed to understand the uniqueness of this island and realise that the word “sea” is sometimes not enough to express how much beauty there is in the sea at Giannutri.
The official guides of the Tuscan Archipelago Park divide us into groups and we set off on this day immersed in nature, history and legend.
We set off along wide, easily travelled paths, first to Cala Maestra and then to Villa Domizia, built by the Domizi/Enobarbi in the first half of the 2nd century AD. The ruins of the villa are majestic and it is easy to imagine the ancient glory of the residence of Emperor Nerone family on Giannutri.
We return to the boat to have our lunch, which the crew made ready for us! The walk, the sea air and the beauty have given me a great appetite… what can I say, it must be happiness!

After recovering energy, we set off with our park guides on a nature tour to the southern end of the island, to the “Grottoni”, caves carved out by the sea.
Giannutri’s nature is surprisingly dense, colourful and… fragrant! In spite of the mask, given the time we are living in, the scents of the rich vegetation and flowers come through clearly and intensely.
The excursion is well organized and mixes sea, trekking, history and nature. The friendliness and professionalism of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park guides make the excursion a moment of historical, cultural and naturalistic deepening.
On the way back, silence reigned on board, happy faces turned to the sea… I think we all left a little piece of our hearts on Giannutri and we were already thinking about when we could come back.

INFO

• Duration: from 9.30 am to 5 pm (Departure from Porto Santo Stefano)
• Difficulty: easy – also suitable for children
• Clothing: sporty and comfortable – hiking shoes – hat for the sun – windbreaker for mid-season.
• It is advisable to bring at least 1 litre of water (bar on the island open from 1.6 to 30.9).

Have fun and… see you next time in Ebe Montresor’s “Argentario Experience” column.